TAIPEI - Taiwan is likely to allow the screening of a Chinese film celebrating this year's 60th anniversary of the People's Republic - but not before next year, Taiwanese officials indicated on Sunday.

"The Founding of the Republic" features actors such as martial arts star Jackie Chan and Hong Kong hearthrob Andy Lau and depicts the bloody struggles between Communists and Nationalists that led to Communist rule in 1949.

The film is part of an array of state-orchestrated commemorations in China marking the October 1 anniversary.

Taiwan, which forcibly resisted Communist rule, has yet to receive an application to screen the film and it will thus fall foul this year of a quota allowing the screening of only 10 China-made films annually, officials said.

"As of now, we've not received an application for the release of the film from the local distributor" - United International Pictures Taiwan - said Frank Chen, head of the film section at the Government Information Office.

But another official with the same office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, played down the film's sensitivity.

"Taiwan already is a democracy. Have you ever heard in recent years of films being banned for ideological reasons?" he said.

The Nationalist (Kuomintang) government fled the mainland to Taiwan after its troops led by Chiang Kai-shek were defeated by the Chinese Communist forces of Mao Zedong in 1949 at the end of a civil war.

Ties between Taipei and Beijing have improved after President Ma Ying-jeou came to power last year pledging to boost trade and allow in more Chinese tourists.